Question:

seems to be such a co-incidence it cracks up when they put their new home page up Rob sig always 99p bargains going here nike , next , m+s , leather jacket 99p http://cgi6.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewSellersOtherItems&userid=…

EBay’s PayPal Hit by Glitches in Online Payments Mon Oct 11, 8:30 PM ET   Technology – Internet Report By Lisa Baertlein

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20041012/wr_nm/tech_ebay_… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – EBay Inc.’s online payment service PayPal has suffered intermittent glitches since late last week, locking some users out of their accounts for long stretches and making it difficult for some online sellers to complete deals, the company and users said on Monday. The online payment problem came at the start of eBay’s (Nasdaq:EBAY – news) seasonally biggest quarter for revenues and roughly four months after the company apologized for a run of billing and search snafus that disrupted some of the auction site’s most dedicated sellers. EBay on Monday said it was working to fix the recent PayPal problems, which have affected payments, log-ins and account creation. "We are working furiously. … We have all resources dedicated to getting it fixed as soon as possible," PayPal spokeswoman Amanda Pires told Reuters. "We haven’t found the ultimate cause," said Pires, who added that the problem appeared to be related to a coding update late on Thursday. It was not immediately clear how widespread the problems were, although eBay’s message boards were filled with postings about the PayPal glitches. Michael Bokan, of West Charlton, New York, told Reuters PayPal usually processes 5 to 10 payments a day on orders from his fly-fishing equipment Web site FlyShack.com. Bokan, who said he can see payment requests being sent to PayPal, said no payments came through on Friday, less than half than normal were processed over the weekend and just one was processed on Monday. "It’s messing things up," said one San Francisco-based PayPal user who spoke on condition he not be named. He said payments were "trickling in" to his account, although confirmation e-mails from PayPal were not. Users also complained they were unable to withdraw money from their PayPal accounts or to use their PayPal debit cards. "I can’t get paid, can’t ship and can’t get to my own money," a PayPal user wrote in a posting on eBay’s message boards. EBay has been integrating PayPal tightly into its site since it purchased the company in 2002. For example, the company added a feature to its popular "Buy It Now" function that allows sellers to accept immediate payment only through PayPal. PayPal boasted 50.4 million accounts at the end of the second quarter, during which it processed $4.4 billion in payments. Shares in eBay closed $1.14 higher at $93.73 on Monday on the Nasdaq stock exchange.

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| seems to be such a co-incidence it cracks up when they put their new home | page up That shouldn’t have changed much but apparently they changed the back end at the same time and screwed everything up. Bloody idiots. GW

In all fairness, I would love to know of any programmer out there that could make even the slightest change to a system the size of eBay’s or PayPal’s, serving over 100 million pages per day, without some glitches. My hat is off to both eBay and PayPal. They did a fantastic job. SB

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| seems to be such a co-incidence it cracks up when they put their new home | page up That shouldn’t have changed much but apparently they changed the back end at the same time and screwed everything up. Bloody idiots. GW

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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – | seems to be such a co-incidence it cracks up when they put their new home | page up That shouldn’t have changed much but apparently they changed the back end at the same time and screwed everything up. Bloody idiots. GW probably got some bodger in with a pirate copy of dreamweaver.

Of course not a PIRATE copy. A HONG KONG copy…bought on eBay of course =)

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Question:

Cannon 15X15 Binoculars Hi, Does anyone own these and how well do they work? If you know of any web sites that discuss them I would appreciate the URL. I would like to buy a pair but I do not want to spend 1200 dollars without hearing some first hand reports about them. Thanks J

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Cannon 15X15 Binoculars Hi, Does anyone own these and how well do they work? If you know of any web sites that discuss them I would appreciate the URL. I would like to buy a pair but I do not want to spend 1200 dollars without hearing some first hand reports about them. Thanks J

The fine old firm of Cannon is renowned for the finest binoculars ever made, so if they are only a piddling 1200 dollars, I’d advise buying several pairs…HURRY, MAN, HURRY!!  And they’ll focus faster with a peanut butter sammich ‘twixt yer cheeks, too… HTH, R …hey, it’s worth a shot…besides, "15×15 binoculars" are _RARE_, especially the Cannons…

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Cannon 15X15 Binoculars Hi, Does anyone own these and how well do they work? If you know of any web sites that discuss them I would appreciate the URL. I would like to buy a pair but I do not want to spend 1200 dollars without hearing some first hand reports about them. Thanks J

They’ve got them (15×50’s) for 950 bucks at Eagle Optics. Of course I’m pretty happy with my $49 remanufactured Minoltas so even $950 (as compared to 1200) seems to border on ludicrous to me. But as my 16 year old keeps on pointing out, I’m cheap. G.C.

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….."15×15 binoculars" are _RARE_,

They’re much easier to find if you’ve already got a pair. especially the Cannons…

Close counts in heavy artillery. Wolfgang through a glass darkly.

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Cannon 15X15 Binoculars Hi, Does anyone own these and how well do they work? If you know of any web sites that discuss them I would appreciate the URL. I would like to buy a pair but I do not want to spend 1200 dollars without hearing some first hand reports about them.

If Canon did make 15×15 binoculars they would almost certainly suck. 15x magnification with only 15mm diameter lens would be horrible. I’m guessing that you really meant 15×50mm binoculars.  I’m sure they are very good, but unless you REALLY need superb optics $1200 isn’t likely to be worth it.  Plenty of other companies make good binoculars in that range for a fraction of that price.      - Ken

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– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Cannon 15X15 Binoculars Hi, Does anyone own these and how well do they work? If you know of any web sites that discuss them I would appreciate the URL. I would like to buy a pair but I do not want to spend 1200 dollars without hearing some first hand reports about them. If Canon did make 15×15 binoculars they would almost certainly suck. 15x magnification with only 15mm diameter lens would be horrible. I’m guessing that you really meant 15×50mm binoculars.  I’m sure they are very good, but unless you REALLY need superb optics $1200 isn’t likely to be worth it.  Plenty of other companies make good binoculars in that range for a fraction of that price.      - Ken

Optics are just like any other hobby.  You can get a very nice fly rod for $150, but some spend $600. My own personal opinion is that 15X binoculars are too high in magnification for anything I would want to do.  Keep in mind that normally imperceptible hand shake is tremendously annoying at 15X.  Magnification that high is best when used with a tripod.  My all purpose piece of junk is 8X wide field. It’s kind of like asking is a Winston 10 weight a good fly rod.  Not if you’re fishing for brown trout under normal conditions, it isn’t.   Before you go spend $1200, ask yourself if you need 15X. Once you make that determination, then go choose your optics.  If I was going to spend anywhere near that kind of money, Swarovski would be high on my list. Scott

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My own personal opinion is that 15X binoculars are too high in magnification for anything I would want to do.  Keep in mind that normally imperceptible hand shake is tremendously annoying at 15X.  Magnification that high is best when used with a tripod.  My all purpose piece of junk is 8X wide field.

The last time Haley’s comet came along, (or maybe it was that other astronomic letdown), I had a pair of cheapo 10×50’s (Tasco?) and a passing interest in astronomy.   To my surprise, if I managed to brace myslf and hold steady, I could see a few of Jupiter’s moons & Saturn’s rings.   Pretty cool, but not enough to make me buy a telescope. Joe F.

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If I was going to spend anywhere near that kind of money, Swarovski would be high on my list.

I’d have to second that!  Swarovski optics will make the glass Cannon uses look like the bottoms of Coke bottles.

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http://betterviewdesired.com/EagletEgret.html http://www.swarovskioptik.com/nf/us/start.htm TL MC

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If I was going to spend anywhere near that kind of money, Swarovski would be high on my list. I’d have to second that!  Swarovski optics will make the glass Cannon uses look like the bottoms of Coke bottles.

So I guess it’s alot like Rollex watches, Nikkon cameras, Mount Blank fountain pens, Oakly sunglasses, and my personal fav, gen-u-whine ersatz Coheeba see-gars… TC, R ….and I’d recommend not dealing with "Leroy of Times Square" for anything ’spensive…

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Cannon 15X15 Binoculars I’m guessing that you really meant 15×50mm binoculars.  I’m sure they are very good, but unless you REALLY need superb optics $1200 isn’t likely to be worth it.  Plenty of other companies make good binoculars in that range for a fraction of that price. Optics are just like any other hobby.  You can get a very nice fly rod for $150, but some spend $600.

Slightly different.  In optics money generally buys you bigger and/or better glass.  Definitely a diminishing returns past a point, but looking through a 50mm scope vs an 80mm scope it "should" be obvious which is better from a purely viewing point of view. My own personal opinion is that 15X binoculars are too high in magnification for anything I would want to do.  Keep in mind that normally imperceptible hand shake is tremendously annoying at 15X.  Magnification that high is best when used with a tripod.  My all purpose piece of junk is 8X wide field.

Absolutely right.  And if the original poster is still listening and does want a tripod mounted large binocular I’d still suggest looking elsewhere.  I think Celestron has some HUGE 20×80 or 11×70 beasts in the $400-$500 range.  The 20x is primarily for astronomical viewing and the 11x is primarily for low-light terrestrial viewing, but with a decent tripod they can be used interchanged. It all depends on what you are looking for.      - Ken

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and my personal fav, gen-u-whine ersatz Coheeba see-gars…

        In the glass top box? I got a really good deal on those.

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Question:

….or someone’s asleep at the wheel….. — Early to Bed, Early to Rise… Fish all Day, Make up Lies. Shawn

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – if you need 12 inch forceps to remove a hook from fish, you might as well just open the mouth and crawl inside to fetch the hook for yourself cause that fish is HUGE! Mike I read where a guy had 9 inch and 12 inch forceps. I got the smaller version but i could also get the 12 inch forceps. They sure seem long. But if your in a pinch (no pun intended) you may be glad you got them. I like the 9 inchers since they fit in my vest pocket. Al Have fishing rod…will travel. Prospective accomplice in fishing

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BQ writes: Bite me  you jerk bait……

I wouldn’t ask you to reciprocate. Al Have fishing rod…will travel. Prospective accomplice in fishing

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Ya. We use ‘em here to serve salad.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – actually, there are many types of forceps…..In a sense you are both right. There is such a thing as hemostatic forceps, they are used to clamp things such as arteries. The forceps that you are probably thinking of are the ones that are used to deliver babies. These are like tongs. see http://www.surgical911.com/cgi-bin/framemgr.pl?Main=Hemostatic+Forceps Mike Fishing forceps like needle nose pliers. Mentioned in lots of fishing books mismentioned, actually. The tool you are describing is actually a hemostat. Forceps are like tongs. RichZ

Question:

Now I’ve started up to the AuSable several times but I have to drive past my favorite river and never seem to get past it. I think I’ll have to force myself.

Heh heh, I’m just the opposite – I keep meaning to fish other waters, but never get off the W Branch AuSable  Where do you fish – Saranac, E Branch, smaller streams?  There are supposed to be some nice native brookie streams nearby.  One time I got lost and fished a little stretch of water that I believe was below AuSable Forks, so technically it wouldn’t have been the W Branch Before you buy.

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Nice report.  Wish I was there. TL MC

This is the Ausable, or AuSable, as opposed to the Au Sable in Michigan.

The

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Hmmm, As luck would have it I have to be in the adirondacks from Friday night till Sunday morning without the family and only a 20 minute commitment in Lake George on Saturday morning. Now I’ve started up to the AuSable several times but I have to drive past my favorite river and never seem to get past it. I think I’ll have to force myself. Are there any other Roffians who want to fish the AuSable on  Saturday? Paul

This is the Ausable, or AuSable, as opposed to the Au Sable in Michigan.

The [snip] – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Regards, Jeff

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"JeffC 1474"  wrote… Drove through the Adirondacks Wednesday night, and the late sunset was nice so I could enjoy the scenic drive.  If you drive through this area, be careful – it’s the second year in a row I got stopped for speeding.  I was coming out of a 35 and got up to 53 about 50 yards before the 55 sign started.  He let me off, but made the point that this is not just a hightway, but there could be pedestrians crossing at the little village around the next turn.

It would certainly have been poetic justice had he "thrown the book" at you. <g (Sorry, couldn’t resist.) –Steve (it’s good to hear from you Jeff!)

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This is the Ausable, or AuSable, as opposed to the Au Sable in Michigan.  The Ausable is a reasonably big, rocky river, smaller than the Delaware, but similar in character to what I would imagine some western rivers to be like, if a little smaller.  It’s one of my favorite, if not my favorite, stream I’ve ever fished. Drove through the Adirondacks Wednesday night, and the late sunset was nice so I could enjoy the scenic drive.  If you drive through this area, be careful – it’s the second year in a row I got stopped for speeding.  I was coming out of a 35 and got up to 53 about 50 yards before the 55 sign started.  He let me off, but made the point that this is not just a hightway, but there could be pedestrians crossing at the little village around the next turn. If I don’t stop in Lake Placid, my first stop is always at Fran Betters’ Adirondack Sport Shop on 86 in Wilmington.  The big sign with a girl catching her fly on her skirt and pulling it up is still there, but there’s a new one that says "FRAN IS BACK!"  Fran is famous in those parts as a fly tier and fisherman, and knows the W Branch Ausable probably better than anyone.  He developed patterns such as the Ausable Wulff.  Fran is getting on in years and last year leased the business to another man.  Rumours run wild about what happened, but the facts are that it ended on bad terms, Fran is back in the shop, and the other guy opened a new shop nearby. www.ausablewulff.com Luckily the light was still on at 10 so I could get the stream report and any flies I’d need for the next day.  There are shops in the area with a better inventory and more modern fixtures, but none with as much character.  It’s a fine place to hang out and shoot the shit and collect fishing reports as fishermen filter in and out.  Fran recommended some golden stones and March Brown dries, among other things.  I was surprised because I didn’t even know there *were* yellow stoneflies there, just black.  You can’t tell by looking at the nymphal shucks they leave on the rocks, and I had never tried to collect any from the stream.  I headed over to The Bunkhouse which can be reserved through the shop.  It’s $15 a night, a total dive, but a great place to stay if you’re fishing there.  You can stay at some prissy lodge if you want, but real fishermen stay at The Bunkhouse.  There is usually sports on TV and beer drinking in the living room and late night tying sessions at the big table in the kitchen.  An alternative he-man accomodation would be a tent at the Wilmington Notch campsite on the other side of the river from Whiteface Mt., site of the Olympic skiing. Headed out to the water in the morning.  What a difference a year makes.  Last year at this same time the water was 68 in the morning up to 72 in the afternoon, and levels were low during drought conditions, and they were warning about stressed out fish.  I had done better than many people because I headed toward water upstream near the ski jumps, where it is more shaded and a couple degrees cooler, and in the well-oxygenated water below the Wilmington dam. Also I was willing to accept smaller fish, 6-13", and every one was hard fighting and healthy.  There are a lot of big fish in this river, and some people feel like they fail if they don’t catch a 20 incher, but the conditions just weren’t right.  The trout were going nuts over big yellow stimulators.  I did have one big fish break my line in the upstream section, which would have been a real trophy in that area, and I vowed to challenge it again this year. But I changed my mind since the conditions were so different now – 54 degree water temp and higher water.  BTW, the water in this river tends to have a tea stain color.  Fran recommends all-Maxima Chameleon leaders, including the tippet.  He sells them there if you don’t like to make your own. I fished in the 5 mile catch and release section, which I rarely do since it can get crowded.  But this section contains extremes of water type, from slow, pond-like pools to rough, bouldery water with deeper runs and some gorge-like sections.  I fished some rough water with deeper runs,  high-sticking the golden stone nymphs with weight.  Right away I got a 14" rainbow, which unfortunately did not fight too hard and looked fresh off the stocking truck.  Fortunately, every *other* fish I caught that day appeared to be a holdover fish.  Next came a tough 15" brown, and then a 13" brown.  The takes were subtle, but did not prepare me for the subtleness of the next take. I was sure I had hung bottom.  I tried to pull it free, but it wouldn’t budge. Then I put a lot of pressure on it from an upstream angle – nothing.  I was getting ready to break the line when all of a sudden the fish started rolling to the surface flashing its side.  I had so much pressure on the line that the fly pulled out and rocketed straight into a tree overhead and I couldn’t get it out – salt rubbed in the wound – one nymph down, one to go.  It looked about 18" but felt like 20 lbs – weird.  Ready for the most subtle of takes now, the next cast went into a deep, swirling eddy.  The take was so strong and sudden that it scared the crap out of me, and I ripped the fly right out of its mouth.  And…. you guessed it – straight into the same tree overhead.  Well, black nymphs from now on  Then for the next hour and a half – not a single take (as far as I could tell.) I’m fairly athletic, but I was having a hard time wading the rougher water near the middle of the river.  I finally broke down and went back to the shop to get a wading staff, which was a big help later.  Never thought I’d see the day Ironically, it caused my only injury – it was dragging behind me when I slipped a little.  I fell toward the staff, which was wedged against a rock, and drove the handle deep into the side of my thigh.  I’ve got a big purple knot there now the size of a lemon. I headed below the Wilmingtion dam about a half mile or so.  This is very nice, moderate wading in terms of difficulty, riffly pocket water with some of those semi-pool, semi-broken-water areas that are my personal favorite for dry flies.  There was still no surface activity even though there were quite a few caddis in the air and the occasional sulphur.  No more action on the nymphs.  I finally saw some sporadic rises and started to fish dries – there were a couple March Browns coming off now.  I had a couple missed fish, which made me think I was striking too soon, until I sat and watched for awhile and realized they were missing (or refusing) the naturals too!  Crazy fish.  This was hard to determine though since there was only 1 rise about every 5 minutes.  I hiked a little and unfortunately must have caught my fly patch with my Haystack March Brown dries on it on a tree and lost it. Rummaging through the box, I finally came across an old one I tied probably 20 years ago, traditional pattern.  And… it worked.  For some reason, a fish took that old March Brown with more gusto than any fish took any natural I saw – it was hooked deep in the roof of its mouth – 13" brown.  Go figure.  The rain started a little and the wind started whipping up hard so I went back to nymphs – a big black stone that I picked out of a tree limb earlier, left behind by a caster in my league, presumably.  As it drifted toward a fast chute created by 2 boulders, it got picked up by a large fish.  Unfortunately as the fish rose into the fast water in the chute, I couldn’t  control it.  It was hard enough to wade into position to make the cast, let alone try and run downstream of the fish.  I put all the pressure on it I could, but all it did was hold it in place in that chute.  I watched it roll around for 5 or 6 seconds before it pulled off – about 20".  On the way back up I picked up another 10" brown, and an 8 incher that appeared to be stream bred. That night at the shop (which is also a house), I was lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time and invited to stay for dinner with Fran and Jan and a couple guides (hint: the kitchen door at dinner time is usually the right place at the right time  It was a great opportunity to hear Fran and the guys tell stories and ask for some tips.  Fran is generous with his time and help.  Every couple weeks he gives a free cookout and informal fly casting clinic.  I’ve seen him many times patiently explain things to newcomers that I know he’s explained hundreds of times before.  And he is no snob – he will suggest where and how to fish whether you want to use flies, spinners, or worms. A guide spoke of the previous day’s client.  He asked the client what his casting ability was, so he could decide where and how to fish.  The reply was "I have a Sage SP."  !!  The guy was apparently a dickhead and didn’t want to listen to the recommended streamer fishing technique for a certain stretch.  He was riding high as he hooked a nice fish.  The guide nearly broke out in laughter when it turned out to be a sucker, and foul hooked to boot.  Then the guide pulled out an 18" rainbow from the same pool.  He knew there would be no tip, but he just couldn’t resist Regards, Jeff

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Question:

Ernie, I assume you are in eastern PA? I am new to flyfishing, but do know where you can do some awesome striper fishing if you aren’t too far east. Raystown Lake has great landlocked striper fishing. 20-30 pounders are the norm and 40+ pounders are caught every year. They do have a website, not sure of the url. Try a search. good luck, Matt

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Hey Guys, Been Fishing the Salt with a fly rod and other tackle for a while now.  Always looking for people to go with.  Would be interested in hearing from any body close. I am in NW Montgomery county.  Any body interested shoot me an email. Ernie, I would suggest a 10WT for most of your fishing, and an intermediate shooting setup for most of your fishing in the surf.  Seems like you are doing battle with the wind most of the time.  Faster sinking lines are great from jetties and intlets.  Get a stipping basket.  Fishing the surf with a fly rod can be very productive for several species in NJ and north coast waters and sometimes it will out produce conventional and spin tackle. Experiment… Damian Damian NuWave Tackle Innovative products designed by fishermen for fishermen Fly Tying equip and matls., Tackle and more. http://www.nuwavetackle.com/

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Thanks Paul              Ernie

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Hello Ernie, Like any "species specific" fishing, you first have to know your quarry and then you must understand your quarry’s quarry.  Check out http://www.fishbelly.com , it’s a new web site that is loaded with great information on fishing for all species of fish.  However, to meet your needs, check out the article by Lefty Kreh on fishing his deceiver fly http://www.fishbelly.com/articles/lk110399.htm Bookmark the site because there’s a new article coming soon by Lou Tabory that deals with how to present your flies for best results.  We will also be highlighting the many different prey items that all species of game fish love.  We will include underwater images that will help you "match the hatch" so to speak, in salt water. I hope this info helps.  If you have any other questions, hop on the fishbelly message forum and I’ll be happy to try and answer them. Finally, if you’re looking for "in depth" — no pun intended — information on stripers, check out the selection of videos at Fishbelly.  As an underwater videographer who has spent over 40 years in the striper’s domain, I can promise you any of the Laptew Production videos will make you a better striper angler. Seize the day!  Go fishing. Mike

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After many years of trouting I would like to give stripers a try. I live in Penna, and can easily get to NJ or the Cape , beforo I start calling guides, some basic info      (when, where, with who) would be appreciated                                                  Thanks,                                                            Ernie

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After many years of trouting I would like to give stripers a try. I live in Penna, and can easily get to NJ or the Cape , beforo I start calling guides, some basic info      (when, where, with who) would be appreciated                                                  Thanks,                                                            Ernie

For equipment you’ll want a 9wt, a sinking line and a reel that’s doesn’t say freshwater only. You can use a 7wt but if it’s really windy or you catch a really big fish you’ll appreciate the 9wt. A few clouser and a a few decievers are all you’ll need for flies. The early season in MA chartruse is a good color. I can’t help with NJ. Check with a local shop for what colors are good. If you buy the flies at the same shop you’re likely to get better advice. Paul

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Question:

If anyone in this group has fly fished on a trip to South America, New Zealand, or Australia and has any good fishing photographs from that trip, I would be very grateful if you would be willing to share them with me by sending them via email so I can use them on a web site that I am creating. Thank you very much, Bruce

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Bruce, I’ve got tons of pics from various fishing trips to South Amercia……uh….are you gonna have like some kind of ‘adult check’ on the – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – If anyone in this group has fly fished on a trip to South America, New Zealand, or Australia and has any good fishing photographs from that trip, I would be very grateful if you would be willing to share them with me by sending them via email so I can use them on a web site that I am creating. Thank you very much, Bruce

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John, I don’t really know what you mean by an "adult check" for my site.  It’s not going to be some kind of porn thing, if that’s what you mean.  It’s just a fishing and hunting web site I’m creating, that will link to various other fishing and hunting web sites around the world. If you have some good fishing photos from South America and you don’t mind me using them, I’d love to see them.  I’ve heard the fishing is great there and the scenery is beautiful. Thank you for taking the time to respond to my post. Bruce Bruce – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Bruce, I’ve got tons of pics from various fishing trips to South Amercia……uh….are you gonna have like some kind of ‘adult check’ on the

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Question:

I think the St. Croix recommendation is a good too.  I also like the Sage DS II series which will come in about $250.  The reel isn’t as good as the ones mentioned but for a price of about $250 its a great way to start. My favorite lines are the Wulff Diamond Taper and the Cortland Lazer 444 for dry lines.  For sinking lines, I really like the Scientific Angler Uniform Sink lines.  All are about $45 to $50.

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  If it were me I’d look at the cabela’s, orvis, ll bean catalogs (they’ll send them free) for a 7wt. beginners outfit. They come complete and balanced. Orvis will set you up AND install the line & backing. The others will send you the components. A 7wt may give you an edge just in case a large mouth comes along.                                                        John Popp                                                     in Sanford Fl.

Follow the above advice, forget spending $400 on a setup when your only learning. (I assume your just starting because of the question about line size.)Why would you shell out $400 dollars for the possibility that you might hate the rod once you find out what your doing. Maybe you’ll like a slow action rod or a fast taper stick for distance fishing. Right now your not sure what you need or want. best thing is to throw a $100 bucks on a setup as mentioned above, and once you get used to the rod and can appreciate different types of actions, you can make an informed decision. Then you can spend the rest of the money on a better rod/reel setup. you may also find that you may want a different line weight etc, after you get some experience under your belt. you may also find that you may not even want a better rod, and that the cheapo does everything you want. Then you can blow the money on something more useful.  Hell, you may even hate flyfishing once you start doing it.

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I’m looking for the best combination of rod, reel, and line for fishing panfish, trout, and smallmouth in a lake setting.  What brands would you recommend? I’m looking to spend around $400.  Should I be looking at a 5 or 6 line(or other)?  Friends have recommended the St. Croix Legend Ultra series of rods, and reel recommendation have gone from Scientific Anglers to Lamson to Orvis.  I need the complete setup-rod, reel, line-Any help appreciated.

Hi Jeff, I’d suggest you take a look at the Orvis Silver Label TL 906 outfit for $360. However, I’d recommend upgrading the Battenkill reel to the disc version (adds $10 to the outfit price).  IMO the Battenkill 5/6 Disc is a much better reel for only a few bucks more.  The TL 906 is a 9ft. 6wt. rod made on a compound taper out of the highest modulus graphite Orvis uses.  It is a light, fast action rod (9.5 on the Orvis flex index).   It works best with a 6wt. line which is great for trout, smallbouth, and panfish in lakes,but if you want to put a 7wt. line on it and go fish for largemouth bass with deer hair poppers, it’ll do that fine too. One respondent suggested you don’t spend the $ for an outfit if your starting out for fear you may not like the rod once you gain some skill.  The best choice if you don’t already fly fish, is to get a casting lesson and then try some of the various recommended rods out to see which one suits you best.  With just one casting lesson you should be able to cast well enough to feel the difference between rods.   Your tastes may change over the years, but you won’t get stuck with a stinker.  If the TL 906 is too stiff for your tastes try out the Silver Label 906 which is a mid flex rod (Orvis index 6.0).                                         Good Luck,                                               Dan Dan Gracia Orvis West Coast Fly Fishing Schools Mt. Shasta Fly Fishing Schools http://www.thegrid.net/flyfish

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I’m looking for the best combination of rod, reel, and line for fishing panfish, trout, and smallmouth in a lake setting.  What brands would you recommend? I’m looking to spend around $400.  Should I be looking at a 5 or 6 line(or other)?  Friends have recommended the St. Croix Legend Ultra series of rods, and reel recommendation have gone from Scientific Anglers to Lamson to Orvis.  I need the complete setup-rod, reel, line-Any help appreciated.

I got the St. Croix Legend Ultra #4 travel rod, and I absolutely love it! It’s a pretty fast rod, so if you’re brand new to flyfishing, you want to consider slower action rod for easier casting.. But don’t take my word for it. Go to a decent shop and cast different rods yourself. It’s the only way to go! As for the reel, it’s basically just a place to store your line. Get a cheap one!

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I’m looking for the best combination of rod, reel, and line for fishing panfish, trout, and smallmouth in a lake setting.  What brands would you recommend? I’m looking to spend around $400.  Should I be looking at a 5 or 6 line(or other)?  Friends have recommended the St. Croix Legend Ultra series of rods, and reel recommendation have gone from Scientific Anglers to Lamson to Orvis.  I need the complete setup-rod, reel, line-Any help appreciated.

Jeff,     Don’t think of costs just for the rod, reel, line combo.  Reddington has some really nice selections for a lot less than $400.  In fact for under $200 you can get a complete set up, and then spend the other 200 on getting the flies, waders and such  In fact I purchased a Reddington Red Start last year for around $110 and a Cortland reel for $30, Scientific angler line for $45.  The rod has an unconditional lifetime guarantee, which I had to use already once.  If nothing else the Reddington’s should not be overlooked. –Randy

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Hi, I agree with the St. Croix reccommendation- I’d go for the Ultra Legend, and then buy a good SA – a system 2 if you can afford it, or an sa1 if you have to scrimp. I don’t agree about a Lamson, etc. reel on an Imperial – you’ll enjoy the rod more than the better reel (althought the St. Croix travel rods ARE nice). I just can’t see the big deal in some of these so – called big name reels. The SA system2 I’ve got has lasted years and is used almost daily in season and in the salt in the off-season in Florida. Just MHO. Bill — Bill Curry Tight Lines Guide Service Lockeport, Nova Scotia, Canada Phone or Fax :  902-656-3329 http://www.tightlines.ns.ca

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I’m looking for the best combination of rod, reel, and line for fishing panfish, trout, and smallmouth in a lake setting.  What brands would you recommend? I’m looking to spend around $400.  Should I be looking at a 5 or 6 line(or other)?  Friends have recommended the St. Croix Legend Ultra series of rods, and reel recommendation have gone from Scientific Anglers to Lamson to Orvis.  I need the complete setup-rod, reel, line-Any help appreciated. Thanks Jeff

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Friends have recommended the St. Croix Legend Ultra series of rods, and reel recommendation have gone from Scientific Anglers to Lamson to Orvis.  I need the complete setup-rod, reel, line-Any help appreciated.

I threw the Legend Ultra last week for the first time.  I was very surprised by its beefy feel, fast action and light weight.  I’m probably going to buy one (or two) for house rods here….. For price and performance,I gave it an A+. I have a Lamson2….. straightforward, reliable, light and effective.  The only negative thing I’d have to say about the reel is the expense of extra/replacement spools <steep. And for line, I’ve fallen in love with the Cortland 444 RLX. I does have memory, so cold stream fishing might give you some twists and turns… but if you keep it wet, it seldom (if ever) snarls/knots too badly. Oh… take these recommendations from a saltwater FFisher who recently tried fresh water for the first time. Cheers. -thor-

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I’m looking for the best combination of rod, reel, and line for fishing panfish, trout, and smallmouth in a lake setting.  What brands would you recommend? I’m looking to spend around $400.  Should I be looking at a 5 or 6 line(or other)?  Friends have recommended the St. Croix Legend Ultra series of rods, and reel recommendation have gone from Scientific Anglers to Lamson to Orvis.  I need the complete setup-rod, reel, line-Any help appreciated. Thanks Jeff

Jeff, if you get the SC Legend Ultra and put an Orvis Battenkill Disc reel on it, you’ll have $350 invested in a fine outfit. Now add another $40-50 for a good line you are at your target price. On the other hand, you could get the St Croix Imperial 5/6 for $135 (I own the 4 piece travel model) and go up to the Lamson LP-2 reel. Add in the cost of the line and you’re still close to your target price. BTW, this is a *great* rod for the money. Now, my advice is to get the Legend Ultra and the Orvis Battenkill Disc Drag reel. You should have a really good rod, the reel is not quite so important so long as you stay away from the K-Mart specials. More important than the reel is get a *good* quality line. I have used Scientific Anglers for years and have no complaints. There are those who will disagree with my opinions, but advice is free, and you get what you pay for. ) Frank Church Elkhart, IN

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Hello,   Last year about his time I bought plans to build a canoe, because that then looked like a good idea. I haven’t goten down to building it yet, but, in the mean time, I moved to a rather dry part of the world – except for the sea. So, I am living at a ten minutes drive from the beach now and I am wondering if I should build that canoe, or rather get plans for a kayak? What I like about the canoe is that    -I have the plans already    -I like the design    -I can cast a fly properly from a canoe    -My family fits into it    -I can use the same boat alone or all of us Then again they say that kayaks are really fun to play with in the surf. I had sort of a wacky idea the other day and maybe somebody may wish to comment on it. If I build a real long kayak (say about 18ft) and I leave the central 6-7 ft of the deck open, I can make two (or more) covers for that portion, one with the central opening (for me) and one with 2 big openings and one smaller one (for when we are all going). Will this reduce the stiffness of the boat to the point of making it dangerouse? Anyway, that would resolve only the family issue; casting the fly will remain a problem … Thanks of any thoughts,   Pierre — Pierre Hubsch                 Dept of Bio-Medical Engineering Technion – Israel Institut of Technology          Haifa 32000 Israel                                      tel 792-4-8294124

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I had sort of a wacky idea the other day and maybe somebody may wish to comment on it. If I build a real long kayak (say about 18ft) and I leave the central 6-7 ft of the deck open, I can make two (or more) covers for that portion, one with the central opening (for me) and one with 2 big openings and one smaller one (for when we are all going). Will this reduce the stiffness of the boat to the point of making it dangerouse?

What you’re describing is essentially identical to an Aquaterra Jocassee (or an Old Town Loon II, which seems to be a knock-off of the Jocassee), except that Aquaterra never thought it through to the point of making alternate hard covers for the cockpit. Their customer rep seemed to think I was strange when I suggested it. There are some limitations to the concept: Even a 7-foot cockpit gets awfully small when you put 2 people in it. Any 3rd person in the cockpit has to be very small or very cozy with the rear(most!) paddler. There is, as you suggest, a problem with longitudinal stiffness. The Jocassee uses three long metal tubes for structural reinforcement. A hard cockpit cover would contribute some more rigidity if it were rigidly attached, though I’m not certain how this could be done without adding a lot of weight for the attachment fixtures. If you don’t devise a rigid cockpit top, there’s nothing to brace yourself in the boat with for control or rolling. I’m currently trying to figure out some kind of thigh straps or other supports to overcome this. If you don’t make a rigid top with a standard cockpit opening, you can’t get a spray skirt for the big cockpit. Aquaterra’s Jocassee spray skirt has serious functional limitations that even their rep admits. I’m still working on making it just stay on reliably. Used without a cover, that big a cockpit lets a lot of water splash and wash in, and holds a tremendous volume of water if capsized or swamped. It probably needs all of the extra floatation you can devise. With all of the above considerations, my son and I still enjoy the Jocassee, and devising workarounds for problems makes it a kind of do-it-yourself project. If you don’t like working with lots of compromises, though, you might be better off to build/acquire two boats – one for the family and a single for when you want to play alone. I was sold the Jocassee as a "sea kayak" when I knew even less about kayaking than I do now. It’s definitely not a sea kayak (although it’s getting closer as I work at it). Anyway, that would resolve only the family issue; casting the fly will remain a problem …

This I don’t see as a problem (although I don’t fly-fish – maybe I’m missing something). I can do anything in the Jocassee that I can do in a canoe. Enjoy whatever you do. Ira  Adams

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Question:

Does Anyone know any good flyfishing rivers/lakes in or near Halifax, NovaScotia? I will be traveling there for about two weeks and would like to know if there even is flyfishing there. Please E-mail me back or just posting it up might be good if I ever see it again.                        Thanx JT

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Does Anyone know any good flyfishing rivers/lakes in or near Halifax, NovaScotia? I will be traveling there for about two weeks and would like to know if there even is flyfishing there. Please E-mail me back or just posting it up might be good if I ever see it again.                       Thanx JT

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Submit one or browse what we’ve got!!! http://www.sklarew.com/vaflyfish/reports/index.html

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Stop by our site, add you links, browse our classifieds and Virginia Reports, leave us your comments!!! www.sklarew.com/vaflyfish for netscape users www.sklarew.com/vaflyfish/aol.html for other browsers

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I’ve been out with a pulled back for over one month now!  I pulled it setting up my research project up in the Blue Ridge.  How’s the fly fishing going in VA?  What hatches have come off?  Any successful fishing reports? Thank, steve

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Well, smallmouth fishing in the northern half of the state has been pretty lame due to an unusually wet spring and high water. But I had a great day in May catching native brookies in Shenandoah National Park! Scott W.

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Fishing has gone from poor to worse here at least in northern parts of Virginia since Memorial day. We’ve had record rains and flash flooding. Fishing was fairly good for a short spell about a week ago, but then the rains hit AGAIN!!! Keith in Waterford, VA

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I’ve got my pole. I’ve got my flies.  I don’t have line. I found a good reference that describes the different types of fly line, but not leaders and backing(?). What is the material for leaders?  How long? How to attach to the fly line? The text also mentioned a backing line. What is it?  How much do I use? How do I attach it to the fly line? I was thinking about learning on blue gills.  Good/ Bad idea? Thanks in advance for all replies! Ed K.

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In case  you haven’t received a reply on line, leaders, etc…Your rod should have a line weight marked some where just above the cork grip. Might be #6 or some such. You’ll need a line matched to that number. The leaders are made of monofiliment. You need one about 7 1/2 feet with a stength of about 6 pound test for sunfish. To the tip of the mono, add about 2 feet of tippet material (mono) with a barrel or double surgeon’s knot. I’d go to a flyfishing store for more help or buy the L.L. Bean Beginners Guide To Flyfishing," written by Dave Whitlock. Sunfish are great to learn on and fish for forever!!

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